1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2025 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
CICW has awarded Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants for over 20 years to teacher-scholars and worshiping communities in 45+ states and provinces and across 40+ denominations and traditions—including Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, non-denominational, and other Protestant communities.
While worship styles and practices vary greatly across these traditions, the grant projects typically explore at least one of CICW’s ten core convictions related to worship. Explore the hundreds of projects we’ve funded across both streams of the program.
To offer workshops and monthly gatherings that will provide learning, reflection and renewal to nurture and develop leadership for pastors, music ministry leaders, musicians and laity of predominately African American churches.
To create and implement a twelve-month process of study, conversations and creative engagement in communion liturgy for all ages that will increase the level of comprehension of the meaning and purpose of the Communion service and explore ways of extending the Table out into the world.
To equip pastors and lay worship leaders in planning and leading intergenerational worship experiences by offering workshops and seminars that will benefit churches of various denominations and ethnic backgrounds.
To offer a year-long guided exploration of the book of Psalms through workshops in dance, public reading of Scripture, theater, movement, painting, sculpture, photography and memorization that will bridge racial, generational and socio-economic obstacles in a diverse and multiethnic community.
To offer a formal program of liturgical formation as well as choral and instrumental training that will enhance the skills and celebrate the diversity of leaders of congregational music in 13 Spanish speaking communities that worship weekly in their bilingual, bicultural parishes in 11 counties.
To explore the concept of “Ancient-Future” worship and implement what has been learned in a new worship service that is intended to help the congregation stay true to its Reformed roots, understand and enjoy the blessings of connecting to the historic Christian Church and offer a service that will be intelligible to the nonbeliever while being theologically rich and meaningful to Christians.
To engage the congregation in learning about the importance of intergenerational worship through book studies, retreats and workshops and by connecting adult worship leaders with youth worship leaders in active mentoring relationships to bring the generations together in worship, serving, sharing and learning.
To initiate study and experimentation into the theology of worship space and worship hospitality that will inform anticipated renovations to the worship space so that they are done with theological integrity, artistic and architectural excellence and sensitivity to the needs of the worshiping community.
To provide a series of workshops, discussions and special activities on worship that engage children, teens, campus, singles, married, Spanish and mature ministries and lead to deeper participation in singing, scripture reading, prayer, Communion, baptism, small group participation and becoming mission focused to reach out to their neighbors.
To facilitate a study of drama, art, music and dance that will immerse the congregation in the fullness of worship, ground them in their faith, strengthen them as a community and equip them in their calling to reach out to their community.
To create opportunities for the congregation to cultivate a culture of story-telling – exploring new ways to tell and listen to scriptural narratives, and finding linkages between scriptural narratives and our individual life journeys – by engaging in movement, puppets, theater, poetry and integrating this creativity into the worship life of the church.
To engage the congregation in small group studies, a retreat and workshops that focus on scripture reading, the Liturgical Calendar, music and the Sacraments that will encourage deeper participation and understanding of worship for all ages.
